34. German salt mines, Germany - EUROPE

In Germany, there are more than 20 mines allowed to receive waste for long-term underground storage. Approximately two thirds of these mines are located in salt rock geologies and these are the only mines permitted to handle POPs wastes. They include, for example Herfa Neurode (Hesse), since 1972; Zielitz (Saxony-Anhalt), since 1994; Heilbronn (Baden-Württemberg), since 1987 Bernburg (Saxony-Anhalt), since 1992. Whilst salt mines are perceived by the authorities as safe ‘final storage’ there have been several leaks and a particularly high profile scandal over the past years has been caused by the leakage of radioactive waste from the Asse II mine. This casts serious doubts over the claims of the long term safety of such storage.

Source categories of waste contamination by POPs:

  Waste Incineration
  Chemical industry
  Metallurgical industry

Data about POPs levels in different environment compartments:

  Waste residue

POPs - Persistent Organic Pollutants:

  Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (dioxins)
  Polychlorinated Biphenyls
  Hexachlorobenzene